A perfect diversion..

I write this as we return from Falathorn heading back to the Vale of Imladris, not quite what I expected, but a welcome diversion from where we thought we were headed.
Whence we received the invitations to Bar-en-Vanimars great ball we elected to make the most of the journey and spend good time in and around Celondim and Falathorn. The Ball as expected was a grand occasion seeing old friends and making new one's is never a bad thing!

I took this time to take my Lady aside one night, a gift I presented to her of which she gladly accepted to my deep and complete joy. Something perfect and something eternal.

We both wished to visit some dear friends, of which we owed a great deal to, we took it upon ourselves to gift them individually something specific, hand crafted, named, so that in the times to come friendship would always be on their mind and their protection! The Flower will soon depart again I can only hope they all return safely from where they head we shall miss them dearly.

Once we had seen all whom we had hoped to see we began our journey back to the Vale, we passed through the Shire as discreetly and quickly as we could, once beyond the bounds of the of the Shire we chose to pass through the Old Forest a place full of memory. The Lands around the town of Bree seem to vary in prosperity yet even though my Lady's curiosity was aroused we remained hidden as we passed by. We pressed on through the lone lands and reached the bounds of the Trollshaws. It was not long before the Vale was in our sights again.

Oddly the journey as a whole was a peaceful one and for that I am thankful. We saw very few folk and those only from afar. There seems to be a renewed vigour in the Vale, preparations and busy folk, there is no question the free peoples of this land ready themselves for war.